Burlington couple honored for opening family to needy children

Share via e-mail

John and Carol Casey (center) of Burlington were honored in Washington, D.C., for their commitment to foster care and adoption. They are shown with their children (from left) Cheryl Casey Banks, Jaci Casey, Michael Casey, and Jennifer Casey Vitarisi.

By Wendy Killeen
Globe Correspondent
October 31, 2013

ADOPTION ANGELS: In 1981, when Carol and John Casey’s
daughters were in elementary school, the Burlington couple decided to open their home to foster children.

“We thought our family was complete, but this adorable 18-month-old girl stole our hearts,” Carol said of their daughter, Jaci Casey, whom they eventually adopted.

She works as director of the agency’s Kid’s Net Program in the state’s northeast region, providing support to more than a thousand foster parents every year.

“It gives me great pleasure to help foster families. Kid’s Net supports them in so many ways, from training to help them through the challenges of foster parenting to providing the opportunity for them to spend the day together at a family event they otherwise might not have been able to attend. The families really benefit from it,” she said. “I am honored to work with so many remarkable foster parents every day. They are all angels.”

Like her mother, Jaci has a passion for adoption and foster care. While at Boston College, from which she recently graduated, she was one of 15 students from across the nation selected to intern at the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

Carole Cohen, senior vice president of Boston Private Bank & Trust Company, was also honored as the recipient of the 2013 Rudolph Volunteer Award, named after Marblehead resident Jim Rudolph.

“Community support is critical to ADL’s mission of securing justice and fair treatment for all,” said Robert Trestan, the league’s regional director. “District Attorney Blodgett’s entire career has been dedicated to this same mission, as evidenced by his efforts to promote Internet safety for children and bullying prevention education programs in schools.

“We are proud to partner with the district attorney and Carole Cohen, who have selflessly given their time and energy both to the league, and to the betterment of the community,” he said.

“For the last 10 years, I have had the honor to serve in the only position in elective government that I have ever wanted,” Blodgett said. “Being the district attorney gives me the opportunity to work with communities and organizations, such as the ADL, to promote a better understanding of the law and hopefully encourage people to make good decisions.”

WHO’S WHAT WHERE: John A. LeBlanc
has joined the Institution for Savings
in Newburyport as vice president of loan operations. He manages and directs the servicing of the bank’s residential and consumer loan portfolio. LeBlanc, of Hampton, N.H., previously worked at St. Mary’s Credit Union in Marlborough. . . .
Moira McNamara James
of Marblehead is the new chairwoman of the board of trustees of Landmark School
in Beverly. She follows Nicholas Lopardo
of Boxford, who served 19 years. A former senior producer of news for a Boston television station, James is a freelance video producer. Much of her volunteerism has been dedicated to board governance in academia. She is a founding member of the National Brain Tumor Society
, as well as a fund-raiser for cancer research. She has completed the Pan Mass Challenge 17 times, raising more than $80,000 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
.

BostonGlobe.com complimentary digital access has been provided to you, without a subscription, for free starting today and ending in 14 days. After the free trial period, your free BostonGlobe.com digital access will stop immediately unless you sign up for BostonGlobe.com digital subscription. Current print and digital subscribers are not eligible for the free trial.

Thanks & Welcome to Globe.com

You now have unlimited access for the next two weeks.

BostonGlobe.com complimentary digital access has been provided to you, without a subscription, for free starting today and ending in 14 days. After the free trial period, your free BostonGlobe.com digital access will stop immediately unless you sign up for BostonGlobe.com digital subscription. Current print and digital subscribers are not eligible for the free trial.